asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of the "Buy Irish" campaign, he has advised all State-sponsored bodies under the aegis of his Department to support the campaign; and if he will indicate the amount of foreign purchases of manufactured goods, on contract or otherwise by his Department and by the State-sponsored bodies in the past 12 months, excluding goods which are not manufactured in Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Foreign Goods Purchases.
20.
I am generally satisfied that the State-sponsored bodies under the aegis of my Department are observing a policy of buying Irish goods where possible and in these circumstances there is no need for any general instruction to State-sponsored bodies under the aegis of my Department to support the "Buy Irish" campaign. The purchase of goods by State-sponsored bodies is, of course, part of the day-to-day administration of the bodies concerned.
Neither the Department of Finance nor any of the offices for which I have responsibility have made any foreign purchases, in the past 12 months other than goods which are not manufactured in Ireland with the exception of the Stationery Office which purchased goods of a total value of £3,382,629 of which £16,406 were from Northern Ireland and £14,074 were from abroad.
The Parliamentary Secretary felt there was no necessity for the Minister to advise his Department or the semi-State bodies under his control to support the "Buy Irish" campaign.
That is a statement. The Deputy should put a brief and relevant supplementary question.
That is what I understood the Parliamentary Secretary to say.
A question, please.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary give me a list of the State bodies under the Minister's control?
Fóir Teoranta, the Central Bank of Ireland, Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann, the Industrial Credit Company, Irish Life, the Agricultural Credit Corporation, the Irish National Stud and the Racing Board.
In view of the fact that it is well-known now that one of these companies did purchase quite an enormous quantity of goods abroad would the Parliamentary Secretary not reconsider and get the Minister to advise all these agencies under his control to support the "Buy Irish" campaign?
As the Deputy knows, there should be no need for that.
We have proof there is need for it.
The answer to the next question relates specifically to this matter.
(Dublin Central): Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply that there is no need to give a directive, has the Parliamentary Secretary seen the correspondence between the Department of Finance and Irish Life——
This is anticipating the answer to the next question.
(Dublin Central): I am not anticipating at all.
How much of that £3 million could have been spent in Ireland?
All of it, with the exception of £30,000 and of that £30,000 a sum of £16,000 was spent in Northern Ireland and £14,000 abroad.
There was £100,000 spent abroad a couple of years ago.
Is NET a State-sponsored body?
It is not under my jurisdiction.
I gather it produces fertiliser.
They had a £600,000 contract which was taken off them and given to a British firm.